My favorite George Lucas film has been added to Netflix, and it has nothing to do with Star Wars

When you’re the mastermind and creator behind the biggest sci-fi franchise in the world, your surrounding work is bound to be overshadowed a bit. George Lucas’ iconic saga began with the original blockbuster Star Wars—aka A New Hope—in 1977, and there are an assortment of movies from then to the more recent Rogue One that people consider their favorite of the series. However, four years before Star Wars, my favorite of all the cinematic mind’s movies was released: American Graffiti, now on Netflix.

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American Graffiti movie from George Lucas

I was a big fan of Star Wars as a kid, and you could say the films played an early but important role in my desire to seek out many diverse movies as a teenager. One of the films I greatly appreciated in my formative years was Richard Linklater’s Dazed And Confused, released in 1993 but following a bunch of teens over the course of a day in 1976.

“Have you seen American Graffiti?” I remember being asked when gushing over Dazed And Confused. I hadn’t but was essentially told it was the same vibe, although made and set beforehand.

I bought a copy on DVD and was shocked to see who it was directed by. The George Lucas? I thought. More intrigued, I put it on and was blown away. It’s brilliant. Now, you can stream it on Netflix.

Released in 1973, the American coming-of-age comedy-drama is set in Modesto, California, in 1962 and flits between a bunch of teens and their misadventures throughout the night.

From trying to score alcohol to hanging out around fast-food restaurants and racing cars, it’s a laid-back experience with lots of laughs, charm, and a great soundtrack. As a Dazed And Confused fan, I fell in love with the film instantly, and while I have lots of nostalgia for A New Hope, this is hands down my favorite of the director’s efforts.

There’s even an unforgettable appearance from the always-suave Harrison Ford, who not only went on to play Han Solo for George but also Indiana Jones.

How many movies did George Lucas direct?

There’s sometimes the misconception that George directed all three installments of the original trilogy, helming The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi. Although the creator of the franchise, he only directed the first movie of the series.

He would later go on to helm the prequel trilogy, beginning with 1999’s The Phantom Menace.

Throughout his career, he only directed six films:

He didn’t direct any of the Indiana Jones movies, the first four having been helmed by Steven Spielberg and the most recent, The Dial Of Destiny, by James Mangold.

All six movies have their own merits, despite me not being a fan of The Phantom Menace, but it’s American Graffiti that I wish to return to more than the rest. If that’s not enough to entice you, it even has a 95% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes! Treat Yourself.